Me & Duvv've been getting into this with a theorised/fanon version of Hellsa since we don't have anything on her beyond "Regina George" & 'smart kind of evil' (and that's from Fautisse, soo). Got some message transcripts & rough quotes to get across what we see in it.
[K.K.] So. Hellsa being like a Stella without the abuse and with some power + actual royal duties. She likes the royal lifestyle and all the power and privileges it gives her which he uses to its fullest extent. She loves lauding it over others! And she's smart with it, playing down what others have through needle-point comments so that even if they usually wouldn't be threatened by Hellsa's power, their confidence is shattered. Hellsa will then either graciously pick them back up or break them even more.
So, the obvious question is what does Abel see in her.
Loyalty.
Fierce loyalty.
Hellsa's outwardly malicious to everyone. However, to some very select few she sees them as her own. In a kin way or possession way... Yeah probably something like that.
Again she is malicious to everyone, loved ones very much included. But those she cares about do get some privileges from it. Gifts, compliments, assistance — all scarce, naturally, but affection nonetheless. Even when she's "sucking up" to her loved ones, being more loving than usual under the premise of getting something from them, they know it's very genuine from her. If she truly were being manipulative show would just use a method that actually works.
You get to explore Abel's inaction and indecision with a romance interest. Is he going to be more lenient? Is he going to push Hellsa away? Would he leave if Hellsa ever went past a certain point?
How many times would that point move?
